Clear Cut
What if you came home and found that your neighbor had clear cut beloved trees from your yard…thirteen of your friends that gave you shade, buffer from winds, and helped keep the slope above your home from eroding. One of my neighbors experienced just that this week and our neighborhood is truly sick about it.
In order to improve her view, the resident above the clearcut had a guy cut 33 trees from her view–20 of her trees and 13 of the neighbor below…going 22 feet into the other person’s property to cut trees over 38 inches in circumference. What would you do? How would you handle it?
I was called in to document through photographs and measurements this rape on our mountain. I called on a sister spirit and neighbor to go with me to visit our other neighbor who was completely devastated by this arrogant and mindless event. Thank goodness it was pouring rain while we were working as I was so angry the rain cooled my temper.
We have a convenant that clearly states that clear cutting is not allowed. We have fines in place for cutting trees over 24 inches in circumference. But this homeowner, in an effort to improve her view, cut trees that were holding an already-eroding slope. When her home slides down the mountain perhaps she will be able to put two-and-two together to realize that the covenant rules are not to make life difficult, they are to protect the slopes and homes of our neighborhood. Or maybe she’s preparing to sell the house and wanted to improve her chances of selling by improving her view. Regardless, we are heartbroken at this act of selfishness.
As I tromped through the wasteland of trees and mud I felt like I was at the Gulf Coast, reliving the emotions created by the selfish, arrogant acts of a corporation we know as BP. That same sick feeling came over me as I felt the common thread of humans that lay waste to the environment and act irresponsibly, answering to no one.
There is no clear cut way to handle something like this so I keep asking for strength and courage to face such devastation and work even harder and more diligent to educate the ignorant and encourage those who already care. Every act of violence on the planet and on our neighbors must be met with dedication to caring for the Earth and each other.
3 Replies to “Clear Cut”
What an asshole. Sue!
Our neighbor has contacted an attorney but the costs for her could be too much. We are looking for alternatives to help her pursue some course of action. She is so passionate about her land and trees and this is just unbelievable.
How stupid, mindless and arrogarant of this neighbor to encroach upon private property. Today this is all to common because too many selfish people only think of “What is in for Me” and never having the decency to consider the consequences of their actions. This person should be held totally accountable for the illegal actions they have done by breaking the law, plus the breaking of the homeowners conventant, and should be made to make restitution for all the damage. But most important they will have to have the property that was violated brought back to its original condition and that will be very expensive as large trees that need to be replaced can be very costly in time and money. The homeowners that she has selfishly put in harms (and herself) way better hope that Mother Nature will protect them from any eroding that may occur in the future, until the land has time to heal.
Now that was a nice way to say what needed to be done, but as a human reaction I can not say what I really would have done to her.